Door mounting mechanism



2 sheets-sheet 1` M. G. BUNDY DooR MOUNTING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 5, 19:57

March 7, 1939.

n INVENTO Maar/6 6er/f1 n ATTORNEY March 7, 1939.

M. G. BUNDY DOOR MOUNTING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 5, 1957 2 Sheets-Shee't 2 ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 7, 1939 rece.

noon MOUNTING MEcHANisM Maurice Glenn Bundy, Kansas City, Kans., assignor to H. H. Potter, Kansas City,Mo.

Application February 5, 1937, Serial No.`124,217

11 Claims.

This invention relates to doors and door mechanisms, and particularly to those, for use in wardrobes, closets or like places where a door or group of doors are mounted and adapted to recede when opened.

' The principal object of the invention is to provide a mounting for doors of this character which is of simple and relatively inexpensive construction', and which is adapted for easy installation and adjustment.

It is also an important object to provide an operating mechanism whereby the doors may be vopened or closed simultaneously and may be readjusted and kept in perfect operating condition after the usual shrinkage and settlement occurs in the structure in which the doors are installed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction wherein the door or doors are guided for recession within the wardrobe by 20 means of tracks carried by therespective doors.

Other important objects are to provide a track on the respective doors whereby the companion doors are maintained in the same relative position while travelling in either opening or closing directions; and to provide a guiding mechanism which changes the guiding leverage on the doors to permit them to be opened and closed by forces applied in a constant direction to the door being moved.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, as hereinafter pointed out, I have provided improved details of structure, the pre ferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a wardrobe equipped with doors embodying fthe features of the present invention. y

Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the upper portion of the wardrobe on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, illustrating the doors` in open position.

Fig. 3 is a similar section showing the doors in closed position, and taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through the upper portion of the wardrobe on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a similar horizontal section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3. Y

Fig, 6 is an enlarged detail perspective View of the upper inner side portion of the left-hand door, particularly illustrating the operating mechanism therefor. f Fig. 7 is a section illustrating support of the lower end of one of the doors.

Referring more in ldetail to the drawings:

I designates a wardrobe, for example one that (C1. Ztl-16) is built into the wall 2 of a schoolroom, and which includes a back 3 and sides Il and 5 joining the back with the jamb portions 6 and 'I of a front opening 3 to provide a recess 9 coextensive with the width and height of the opening.

In the wardrobe illustrated the opening is normally closed by a double pair of doors I0 and II, however, a greater number of pairs of doors may be used depending upon the Width of the opening. The doors I2-I3 and Id-'-I5 of the respective pairs are of shorter height than that of the opening to provide a Ventilating space I6 between the bottom ends of the doors and the floor `I'I of the room. The combined width of the doors is sufiicient to completely close the width of the opening and provide overlapping rabbets I8 and I9 at the respective side edges of each door to engage with the adjoining edge of adjacent doors and to engage the stops 20 and 2l at the sides of the door opening.

Fixed to the inner face of each door adjacent the upper and lower ends thereof, are bearing brackets 22 and 23 having aligning Vertical bores 2li to mount a vertical shaft or spindle 25 on which the doors are adapted to pivot as later described. The spindle is of suflicient height to project beyond the lower and upper ends of the door to engage in bearings 2li and 21 of upper and lower mounting arms 23 and 29 respectively. One of the lower mounting arms 29 is clearly shown in Fig. 7 and has a downwardly opening socket 36 formed on the end thereof opposite the bearing 2 to mount a trunnion member 3|. The trunnion member 3i includes a threaded shank 32 threadedly mounted in the socket 36 and a depending head 33 having a polygonal portion 34, to be engaged by a suitable wrench whereby the spindle is adjusted in the socket as later described. The shank of the spindle is normally retained in adjusted position by aset screw 36 that is threadedA through the wall of the socket and has its end 3l bearing against the threads of the shank. Depending from the head 33 is a reduced extension 38 forming an annular bearing race 33 and trunnion for ball bearings 4E) that are supported in a cooperating race 4I in a licor flange 42, the ilange @Zbeing secured to the oor in the vertical plane of the opening by fastening devices, such as screws 33.l

The lower bearing bracket 23 preferably carries an antifriction thrust bearing 44 whereby the door is adjustably sustained on the arm 29 by means of aset screw 45 .that is threaded through a portion of the arm and engages against a washer-like bearing race i6 inset into the lower end of the bracket and cooperating with a shouldered bearing race d1 having an annular shoulder 48 engaging' an annular stop flange 49 provided in the upper end of the bearing bracket; Mounted between the races are ball bearings 50 to facilitate swinging movement of the door on its shaft 25.

Extending across the top of the door opening is an angle bar 5I having an inwardly directed flange 52 to support a similar mounting arm 28 for the upper end of the door. The arm 28 has a bearing 2E supporting the upper projecting end of the shaft and a bearing 55 on its opposite end that is rotatably mounted on a stud 56 having a base flange 5l' attached to the angle flange 52 in vertical alignment with the floor ange, previously described, the ange 5l being secured to the angle by fastening devices V58.

Each of the doors is equippedwith a mounting as above described, and is'adapted to swing about its respectiveshaft and to be carried by its arms into the door opening for parallel alignment with the end walls of the Wardrobe as shown in lig.V 1, the arms for the respective doors being arranged so that the doors of each pair swing away from each other and the adjacent doors in adjacent pairs swing toward each other. In order to control pivotal movement of the door it is necessary to provide each door with guiding means as now to be described.

Secured to the upper edge of each door is a guide member 59 having a horizontal flange 60 overlapping the upper edge of the door and vdepending ears 5i engaging against the inner face .of the door Wherethrough fastening devices 62 are extended as shown in Fig. 6. Projecting inwardly from the bracket in the plane of the flange 60, is a substantially arcuate shaped arm 63 having a slot Sli forming a guide track for a roller 65. The roller $5 is carried on a spindle 66 depending from an arm 51V that is attached to the flange 52 of the angle bar and projects inwardly of the wardrobe above the arcuate track. The roller 65 preferably has a ange 58 engaging the under side of the arcuate arm to retain the roller within the slot 54. The arcuate arm is offset laterally from the axis of the shaft 25 to clear the bearing end 26 of the arm 28 as shown in Fig. 6. The arm is, therefore, notched as at 69 to accommodate the projecting end of the shaft. Each door is equipped with a guide as above described, so that when the meetingV from the positions shown in Fig. 5 to those shown Y in Fig. 4.

The shape of the track slots and the direct mounting of the track members on the doors resuits-in a variable guiding leverage so that the Y forces acting to move the doors may be applied in a constant direction relatively tothe doors.

,In order that all of the doors may swing together inv unison, the upper Varms 28 are provided with `levers 'lil mounted on the Vprojecting ends of the studs 56 and have angular portions 1| provided with slots 12 to pass studs 13 that are carried cn lreinforcing webs 16 of the arms 28, the studs being provided with nuts 'l5 whereby the triangular portions of the arms are clamped to the arms 28.-V The levers 10 include projecting portions 16 that are connected with the levers of corresponding doors in each pair by means of connecting links 11 and 'I8 respectively, the levers being connected with the links by pivot pins 19 as shown in Fig. 6.

In order to interconnect the pairs of doors, the angle 5I carries a bracket 80 that is located over the pair of doors and pivotally mounts a bell crank lever 8l having one arm 82 thereof connected by a link 83 with the connecting link 'I8 while the other arm 84 of the bell crank is pivotally connected by a link 85 with the arm 23 for the door I4. In the illustrated instance, the door I2 is the master door` and is provided with an operating handle 86 wherewith the door may be grasped to swing it to open position. Simultaneously with movement of the door l2, the vdoor I4 is also moved by means of the connecting link 1l. Simultaneously with movement of the door l, the connecting link 85 actuates the bell crank 8i to effect reciprocation of the connecting link I8 through the link 83 so that the doors I3 and i5 are moved to the open position, as shown in Fig. 4.

After the doors have been installed as above i described, they are adjusted so that when the rabbet grooves in the side edges thereof are interengaged they are all positioned in a common plane. This is accomplished by adjusting the relative position of the levers 10 with the arms 28. This adjustment is accomplished by loosening the nuts 75, moving the arms 10 relative to the arms 28, and then retightening the nuts to hold them in adjusted position. The -doors are aligned for height by manipulation of the set screws 45 and adjustment of the spindles in the sockets 38 of the arms. After these adjustments the doors are supported in their desired relative relation and they can be kept in this relation by making similar adjustments whenever necessary, as in case of shrinkage and settling of the structure in which they are installed.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided a door arrangement for a wardrobe, closets and the like, which is of simple an-d inexpensive construction, is readily installed, and which may be kept in operative condition with minimum adjustments.

Although I have Vdescribed and illustrated a plurality of doors and their operating mechanism as installed within a wardrobe, it is obvious that one or more doors would swing and operate in the same manner.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In an apparatus of the character described, pairs of doors, means pivotally and swingingly mounting the doors in a door opening, a guide track on each of the respective doors, means engaging the guide tracks to control movement of the doors to and from open position, and means operablyconnecting the pairs of doors whereby the doors are operated in unison.

2. In an apparatusof the character described, pairs of doors, means swingingly supporting the doors for bodily movement on an arc into a door opening, means pivotally mounting the doors Von said door swinging means for movement about an axis of rotation during swinging movement of the doors on said arcs, means operably connecting the swinging means for the respective doors, and meansfor effecting pivotal movement of all the doors incidental to operation of the door swinging means of one of the doors.

3. In an apparatus of the character described,

a door, a spindle member on the door, arms pivotally connected with the spindle member for swingingly mounting the door in a door opening, a guide track carried by the door, and means engaging with the guide track for controlling movement of the door to and from open position.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, pairs of doors, a spindle member carried by each individual door, arms connected with the spindle members, means pivotally anchoring the arms in a door opening for movement of the spindle membersY on an arc about the axes of said anchoring means to swingingly mount the individual doors, operating levers connected with said arms, means connecting the operating levers of selective doors Ain each pair, means connecting the levers on the other of said doors, means interconnecting said connecting means for reversing movement of one door in each pair relatively to the other and whereby all of the doors are operated in unison incidental to operation of one of the doors, and

means for controlling movement of each of the individual doors.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, pairs of doors, a spindle member for each individual door, means pivotally mounting each door on its spindle member, arms connected with the respective spindle members, means pivotally anchoring the arms in a .door opening, for movement of the spindle members on an arc about the axes of said anchoring means to swingingly mount the individual doors, levers connected with said arms, means connecting the levers with selective doors in each pair, means connecting the levers on the other of said doors, reversingmeans interconnecting said connecting means whereby all of the doors are operated in unison incidental to operation of one of the doors, and means for controlling movement of each of the individual doors including means for effecting reverse pivotal movement of the doors in each pair.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, a door, a spindle member on the door, arms pivotally connected with the spindle member, means pivotally anchoring the arms ina door opening for movement of the spindle member on an arc about the axis of said anchoring means to swingingly mount the door in a door opening, an arcuate guide member carried by the door and having an arcuate slot forming a guide track, a roller engaging in the guide slot for controlling movement of the door, and means supporting the roller.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, a door, a spindle member on the door, arms pivotally connected with the spindle member, means pivotally anchoring the arms in a door opening for movement of the spindle member in an arc about the axis of said anchoring means to swingingly mount the .door in a door opening, an arcuate guide track carried by the door, means engaging with the guide track for controlling movement of the door, and means for adjustably raising the door relatively to said arms to adjust the door in said opening.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, pairs of doors, a spindle member carried by each individual door, arms adjustably connected with the spindle members, means pivotally anchoring the arms in a door opening, levers connected with said arms, means connecting the levers with selective .doors in each pair, means connecting the levers on the other of said doors, and means interconnecting said connecting means whereby all of the doors are operated in unison incidental to operation of one of the doors.

9. In an apparatus of the character described, pairs of doors, an angle member extending across the top of all the doors, floor flanges below the respective doors, lever arms respectively carried by the angle member and said floor flanges for swingingly mounting the doors in a door opening, means pivotally mounting the doors on said swinging means, guide tracks on each of the respective doors, means engaging the guide tracks to control movement of the doors to and from open position, and means operably connecting the pairs of doors whereby the doors are operated in unison.

10. In an apparatus of the character described, a door, means swingingly supporting the door for bodily movement on an arc into a door opening, means pivotally mounting the door onsaid swinging means for movement about an axis of rotation during swinging movement of the door on said arc, a guide track fixed to the door, and

means engaging with the guide track for controlling movement o-f the door when moved to and from open position relatively to the door opening.

11. In a door mounting, a door, means pivotally mounting the door to swing about an axis intermediate its side edges, means pivotally supporting said mounting means to swingingly position the door for bodily movement into and out of a door opening, a substantially arcuate guide track on the door, and means fixed relatively to the` door and engaging said guide track for guiding the door in swinging movement on said axis when bodily moved into and out of said door opening.

MAURICE GLENN BUNDY. 

